Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art by Jesus Merino
and Tom Derenick
Published by DC Comics
Lots of creators are jumping off of books lately and nearly a year ago I started reviewing Wilson’s Wonder Woman. Her time will shortly come to a close as Steve Orlando takes over.
Wilson will be moving to The Dreaming Sandman Universe book and leaving Diana in Steve’s capable hands at issue #82.
So this, my friends, is where I start to jump away.
I liked this story very much, saw great potential to have Wilson have more of a stake in the custodianship of legacy DC characters like Wonder Woman and big, overarching storylines and crossovers in the DCU.
I had hoped her joining up with DC would have the same impact Bendis has had, or merely a portion of it, but as we see in Wilson’s penultimate issue, she’s getting out and flexing her muscles elsewhere.
Not that I have a problem with her expanding the Sandman Universe, either. This is good news because nothing in that franchise has really caught my eye recently either. We’ve seen Orlando on Wonder Woman and other great DC books before and we know he will be continuing what she laid down as Wonder Woman barrels toward issue #100, but I’m not sure I will be sticking around.
Moving on to the issue at hand, Diana ominously starts with inner dialogue “Everything Ends” and I hope that means at some point the weak crossover “Year of the Villain” is almost wrapped up! Veronica Cale is working hard in her lab to help Wonder Woman but can she be trusted?
We are still in a world suffering from the loss and murder of Aphrodite, and the world has lost all love. Cheetah murdered the goddess of love and people can’t even remember what love feels like.
In a nice little town, Summergrove, Atlantiades mourns the loss of their mother. Steve Trevor departs out of a DC airport, leaving Diana behind.
Primed for a fight, Wonder Woman opens a package from Veronica Cale that is supposed to make the “Year of the Villain” sword less powerful. Is there a pill to make Year of the Villain go away? A forget-me-now? Diana hunts down her prey Cheetah one last time and a scuffle ensues.
I don’t want to spoil anything for those reading along but I can say that Jesus Merino can draw the heck out of a fight scene between two powerful characters. Actuality Tom Derenick, whom I praised last issue, is also listed as penciller but it is hard to discern who did each page. More sophisticated art critics might be able to tell the difference!
As we head to the end of Wilson’s run, there’s lots to say that was great about it. My favorite part was the fantastical world building, something she will shine doing over in Sandman Universe.
Am I sad she’s finishing her run on one of the Trinity? Of course I am, because it seemed like stunt casting to put her on this book in the first place.
Sandman seems where she wants to be right now, and I know why, because Sandman rules and we are of similar age so I can’t deny that nostalgic pull to The Dreaming! If she herself asked to be put in Sandman Universe than I will follow her there. I was only on Wonder Woman because of Wilson, a case of following the creator, not the character.
On the flip side this is part of my disappointment, not seeing her take on Batman and Superman into the next level. Hopefully she pops back over to Wonder Woman or DC superheroes at some point, I will always be curious to compare to her Marvel work!
Make Mine G. Willow Wilson!
